A well-balanced diet is the most important requirement for healthy
living and healthy teeth and gums.
To help you understand what's good
for you and what's not here are our 'top ten' helpful tips.
Drink plenty of still water or iso tonic drinks but not fizzy drinks or sugary juices as they are acidic and cause
tooth erosion. Milk shakes and fruit 'smoothies' are a great
alternative to carbonated drinks.
Try and cut down on the amount of starchy,
sugary foods that you eat. These increase the amount of plaque
produced in the mouth which in turn decays teeth. Be aware that
sweets and refined sugar are the worst culprits as they're so
readily digested by oral bacteria ice cream is a delicious
alternative.
Why not give cereal bars and 'Nutri
Grains' a try as they are lower in sugar and can be really satisfying.
Eat plenty of oranges and grapefruits
for the Vitamin C which promotes healthy teeth and gums and
aids the absorption of iron. Interestingly chewable Vitamin
C can cause enamel loss from teeth.
Eggs are great for maintaining healthy
teeth because they don't just contain beta carotene but also
zinc, iron and Vitamin A.
Soya milk, yogurts and cheeses, soya
beans and soya flour all help preserve calcium in the body which
helps maintain strong bones. Making a soya milkshake with strawberries
is a perfect drink for healthy teeth. Another great way to boost your calcium
intake is to eat salmon, prawns or even sardines!
Oily fish is also important in your
diet because it contains Vitamin D which helps our bones and
teeth absorb calcium. Without Vitamin D you only absorb 10%
of your calcium intake, oily fish increases the absorption to
90%.
Broccoli is amongst the healthiest food
in existence. It fights bone loss, boosts the immune system
and contains more calcium than any other vegetable.
Strawberries are packed with Vitamin C, iodine and pectin are not just delicious but also kind on your teeth as they are less acidic.
Go bananas! Have a banana rather than
a handful of sweets and always aim to eat five pieces of fruit
or vegetable a day.